Delores the dolphin has always been different.
She never felt completely right.
While, her friends would talk about boys and makeup,
She would swim quietly with her mouth shut tight.
Do not get me wrong she thought boys were cute,
And they made cool friends.
She just could see her young dolphin life,
Tied down to one of them.
She did envision herself having a life partner
One to share her days with
But it was not a stranger or a boy
It was her friend Lilith.
Her family did not see it.
Her family did not know
Her little secret she kept to herself
Until she felt like she was going to blow
She admitted to herself and her friend
That she liked dolphin girls
Next came the parents, they reacted bad
She was treated as if she was from a different world.
Spurned, Alone, and seeking advice
Delores found inner strength to do what was right
She began to campaign and speak out
She should not be treated differently. She began to fight.
Delores found dolphins from other pods,
That believed as she did.
She wanted to be treated equal.
And have a say or bid.
Prejudices rained down on her from all over.
Her pod of believers were hurt.
Through laws and hate from other dolphins,
They were looked at like less than dir.t
To this day Delores and her group,
In Tampa bay, swim and protest,
To try to stop the hate and the scorn.
They aim to stop the unrest.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Timed Writing
My project three was about homosexual rights and same-sex marriage. I discussed the different aspects and avenues of the topic by giving the history of marriage, precedents that were started in history, the status quo, separation of church and state, and other tidbits of information. Everything was centered on the belief that homosexuals are humans and citizens too and thus should have the same opportunities afforded to them.
Along with my paper, I created a blog and wrote to companies that were against my stance for homosexual rights. The blog afforded me the opportunity to voice my opinion and inform the masses of people who decide to read it. The letters were written in such a way to ask the view of anti-homosexual activists. I asked them why shouldn’t their fellow countryman get the same rights, as they should. What makes them better? I also brought up contradictions in their by-laws or principles that they do not uphold. I find that getting a different opinion on the same topic can attribute to my learning and understanding.
The next step is outreach. I plan to author a fable for middle school children that will essentially teach them that being different is fine. Also that condemning or ostracizing a person for who they choose to love is wrong. I want the children of tomorrow to learn to be tolerant of others and accept people for their differences. Groups of anti-homosexual activists only produce prejudice and hate and the world does not need more of that.
All in all, I hope that each avenue that I discussed will be effective in teaching and enlightening others to their actions and their prejudices. To become a tolerant people education and knowledge is a must and that is what I hopefully was effective in doing.
Along with my paper, I created a blog and wrote to companies that were against my stance for homosexual rights. The blog afforded me the opportunity to voice my opinion and inform the masses of people who decide to read it. The letters were written in such a way to ask the view of anti-homosexual activists. I asked them why shouldn’t their fellow countryman get the same rights, as they should. What makes them better? I also brought up contradictions in their by-laws or principles that they do not uphold. I find that getting a different opinion on the same topic can attribute to my learning and understanding.
The next step is outreach. I plan to author a fable for middle school children that will essentially teach them that being different is fine. Also that condemning or ostracizing a person for who they choose to love is wrong. I want the children of tomorrow to learn to be tolerant of others and accept people for their differences. Groups of anti-homosexual activists only produce prejudice and hate and the world does not need more of that.
All in all, I hope that each avenue that I discussed will be effective in teaching and enlightening others to their actions and their prejudices. To become a tolerant people education and knowledge is a must and that is what I hopefully was effective in doing.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Outline Fable
Fable Moral: Homosexuals are humans too
Main Characters: Dolphins
Setting: Tampa Bay
Plot:
Dolphin with family a little different
Dolphin at school not like others
Boys like her but she is not in to mating
Family Pushing her to mate but she is making excuses
She realizes why
She admits to friend then family
Ostracized from community
Does not deter her
Main Characters: Dolphins
Setting: Tampa Bay
Plot:
Dolphin with family a little different
Dolphin at school not like others
Boys like her but she is not in to mating
Family Pushing her to mate but she is making excuses
She realizes why
She admits to friend then family
Ostracized from community
Does not deter her
Thursday, November 29, 2007
God Hates Fags Letter
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
God Hates Fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you believe that homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them and that sodomites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. No disrespect, but I think that your views on homosexuality are very outrageous.
First homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them. That is the same as saying Christians are Christians because God hates them or Americans are Americans because God hates them. This argument makes no sense and has no basis. To be honest, this statement cannot be backed or corroborated by anything.
Second, sodomoites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. Sodmomy is defined as sexual intercourse between members of the opposite sex as well as the same sex. This statement applies to everyone. There is nothing in that statement that would indicate that God hates homosexuals. Where did this assumption come from? Why do these trumped up beliefs stop homosexuals from marrying?
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
God Hates Fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you believe that homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them and that sodomites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. No disrespect, but I think that your views on homosexuality are very outrageous.
First homosexuals are homosexuals because God hates them. That is the same as saying Christians are Christians because God hates them or Americans are Americans because God hates them. This argument makes no sense and has no basis. To be honest, this statement cannot be backed or corroborated by anything.
Second, sodomoites fuel the fires of God’s wrath. Sodmomy is defined as sexual intercourse between members of the opposite sex as well as the same sex. This statement applies to everyone. There is nothing in that statement that would indicate that God hates homosexuals. Where did this assumption come from? Why do these trumped up beliefs stop homosexuals from marrying?
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Concerned Women of America Letter
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you support God-given right to express beliefs without fear of persecution, the belief that the best place for a child is a man and women household, the belief that homosexuals cannot command that marriage should be solemnized and subsidized under law, and that homosexual relationships are not equally essential to society’s survival. I am aware that the Concerned Women for America organization stands for many good principles but some of them like the ones above are contradictive or cannot be supported.
First, the fact you support God given right to express should extend to all people. Homosexuals are included and should not fear persecution. Second, not to be rude, but a homosexual household is not worse than a heterosexual household. Would you rather place a child in an abusive household that has a mother and a father than in a homosexual household? Why stop a child from living in a household rather than a foster care center?
Third, your organization believes that homosexuals cannot command marriage rights and financial rights. Why not? Heterosexual couples demand their rights. Are homosexuals not citizens, equal, or even human? Lastly, how can your organization say that homosexual relationships are not essential? Every person’s happiness affects society. If mass amounts of people are not happy, people tend to get rebellious and think about rendering the status quo. Denying marriage to American citizens based on a religious moral is against American principles.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you support God-given right to express beliefs without fear of persecution, the belief that the best place for a child is a man and women household, the belief that homosexuals cannot command that marriage should be solemnized and subsidized under law, and that homosexual relationships are not equally essential to society’s survival. I am aware that the Concerned Women for America organization stands for many good principles but some of them like the ones above are contradictive or cannot be supported.
First, the fact you support God given right to express should extend to all people. Homosexuals are included and should not fear persecution. Second, not to be rude, but a homosexual household is not worse than a heterosexual household. Would you rather place a child in an abusive household that has a mother and a father than in a homosexual household? Why stop a child from living in a household rather than a foster care center?
Third, your organization believes that homosexuals cannot command marriage rights and financial rights. Why not? Heterosexual couples demand their rights. Are homosexuals not citizens, equal, or even human? Lastly, how can your organization say that homosexual relationships are not essential? Every person’s happiness affects society. If mass amounts of people are not happy, people tend to get rebellious and think about rendering the status quo. Denying marriage to American citizens based on a religious moral is against American principles.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Traditional Value Coalition Letter
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Traditional Values Coalition
139 C Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you advocate for religious freedoms, do not tolerate behaviors that destroy individuals, families, and culture, and believe sodomy leads to death. All of these and some other beliefs make up the virtues that the Traditional Values Coalition stands by. I also noticed that you have many satirical in nature pieces as well as partner sites express the homosexual agenda as ludicrous.
Nevertheless, your standards that your coalition follow either contradict each other or not factual. Not to be rude or condemning, but if you are advocating religious freedoms than Christian, Jewish, or Muslim beliefs should not be a factor Condemning homosexuals and protesting their marriage based on religious morals is against your own virtues. I also wonder if your coalition tolerates discrimination, hate crimes, or violence for these behaviors destroys individuals, families, and culture. What about tobacco and guns? Do you tolerate liars? You cannot advocate for freedoms but not tolerate everyone.
In addition, the belief that sodomy leads to death is absurd. Again, I mean no disrespect but copulation is not a direct linkage to death. Some diseases lead to death. Cancer can lead to death. Weapons can lead to death. Sexual intercourse between two consenting adults is not a direct link to death. Sodomy by definition can also mean sexual intercourse between heterosexual couples. Your coalition is only contradicting your own beliefs.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Campus Box 858
4200 54th Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33711
November 30, 2007
Traditional Values Coalition
139 C Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
To whom it may concern.
Greetings! My name is Daria Hall and I am a freshman at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While completing an assignment for my writing class I stumbled across your website and was totally taken aback by some of your outlandish statements and beliefs. Your beliefs condemn and victimize a group of people based on one simple fact. They love or have feelings for members of the same sex.
While glancing through your website, I noticed that you advocate for religious freedoms, do not tolerate behaviors that destroy individuals, families, and culture, and believe sodomy leads to death. All of these and some other beliefs make up the virtues that the Traditional Values Coalition stands by. I also noticed that you have many satirical in nature pieces as well as partner sites express the homosexual agenda as ludicrous.
Nevertheless, your standards that your coalition follow either contradict each other or not factual. Not to be rude or condemning, but if you are advocating religious freedoms than Christian, Jewish, or Muslim beliefs should not be a factor Condemning homosexuals and protesting their marriage based on religious morals is against your own virtues. I also wonder if your coalition tolerates discrimination, hate crimes, or violence for these behaviors destroys individuals, families, and culture. What about tobacco and guns? Do you tolerate liars? You cannot advocate for freedoms but not tolerate everyone.
In addition, the belief that sodomy leads to death is absurd. Again, I mean no disrespect but copulation is not a direct linkage to death. Some diseases lead to death. Cancer can lead to death. Weapons can lead to death. Sexual intercourse between two consenting adults is not a direct link to death. Sodomy by definition can also mean sexual intercourse between heterosexual couples. Your coalition is only contradicting your own beliefs.
When researching and browsing the internet, I wonder how far people will hurt others to further their beliefs. Who will have to play the victim for your beliefs? I also wonder where these facts and beliefs stem from. Where do people have the right to judge others for the choices they make, that do not harm them? What homosexuals do in their bedrooms or even marriage does not hurt the morals of society? Homosexual marriage hurts no one.
I hope that you will consider my questions and thoughts on this topic. Keeping an open mind away from biases is necessary to see this issue for what it is. You must leave all religious connotations out of the clearly Government Issue. I trust you will take all of these things into consideration. I wait for a response.
Sincerely
Daria Hall
Monday, November 19, 2007
Organizations
Aganist sam sex marriage
1. Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/
139 C Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 547-8570
2. Concerned Women of America
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
3. http://www.americansfortruth.com/about/
Americans for Truth
P.O. Box 5522
Naperville, IL, 60567-5522
4. God hate fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
1. Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/
139 C Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: (202) 547-8570
2. Concerned Women of America
Concerned Women for America
1015 Fifteenth St. N.W., Suite 1100
Washington, D.C. 20005
3. http://www.americansfortruth.com/about/
Americans for Truth
P.O. Box 5522
Naperville, IL, 60567-5522
4. God hate fags
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
Gay Marriage
Homosexual marriage has long been a heated and debated argument in American culture. The presidential race of 2004 brought the issue to the forefront of American politics as well as around the world. The argument still goes on to this day. Homosexual activists fight for equal rights by redefining marriage, examining and disproving the “gay” misconceptions and proposing different alternatives and ways of achieving equality while anti-homosexual groups fight for status quo. The debate seems to be at a deadlock, but the fight will continue. American citizens have the right to pursue happiness in any shape of form if it does not infringe upon the rights of others. Same-sex marriage infringes on no one.
Today, marriage is defined as a bond between a husband and a wife. Homosexuals and homosexual supporters are trying to change this ecclesiastic definition to include marriage as being between hetero or homosexual couples. The history of marriage dates backs to the Puritans in Massachusetts. They held marriage as a civil institution not as an ecclesiastic or church function. As time went on, religion crept back into the government’s establishment of marriage, so much that married people nowadays are given more rights than people that receive civil unions. Banning of marriage is not a new issue, in fact, bans on interracial marriages plagued America’s history. “In 1967, 72% of Americans opposed interracial marriage and 48% of Americas believed interracial marriage should be classified as a crime” (Cahill 13). Interracial marriage started like same-sex marriage, but the last 30 years, has brought about change. The bans have been lifted for future marriages. Marriage has been defined as a bond between men and women, but a precedent has been set for change.
Like interracial marriage, same-sex marriages face stigmas. Some are rooted in religious intolerance, others in misunderstanding, and the last misconceptions are rooted in stupidity. Some misconceptions that face same-sex couples are: they will ruin the sanctity and institution of marriage, they are unhealthy and unsafe, homosexuals are abusive and are pedophiles, homosexual rights are terrorism, and same-sex marriages will lead to a decline in the population. Where ever these poor excuses or reasons came from is not relevant the fact that each argument has no basis is relevant. Each misconception can be refuted and proved a misconception. Take for instance, the argument that homosexuals are abusive and pedophiles. Numerous studies prove that children blossom in homosexual households (Cahill 33). The pedophile issue is easily refuted as well. A 1998 study found that 90% of pedophiles are men, and 95% of these individuals are heterosexual (Cahill pg 34). Michael Nava and Robert Dawidoff say it the best, “If the opponents of gay rights are truly concerned about predatory sexual behavior, they ought to educate their heterosexual sons, who are the most likely to grow up to be sex offenders, to respect the physical integrity of women and children” (139). In other words, if you want to lower the amount of sex offenders, educate heterosexual men to respect women and children. Most misconceptions about homosexuals are based on myths and lies. Homosexuals are disproving these fictitious stories every day.
Above all the homosexual community’s agenda uses the equality issue as a main backbone for their arguments. Separation of church and state is a big part of the equality issue. This theory is that the church and the government are two separate entities in American culture. Neither should cross the path nor try to hold power in the other institution. Separation of church and state is divided into three different principles: neutrality, equality, and libertarian. Each principle upholds a different aspect of the theory. The libertarian and neutrality principle do not affect homosexuals as much as the equality principle does. “The disestablishment clause (equality principle) serves a double purpose: It protects religion from intrusion by the state and by fostering religious freedom for all without ascendance for any, it protects the state from the warring religious interests that have bloodies history and continue to do so today” (Nava 76). When enforced in this county, the principle is the backbone of separation of church and state and could jeep this debate from escalating into acts of violence. The principle simply asserts that the government cannot give one religion precedence over another.
As a case in point, anti-homosexual activists use the sanctity of marriage as an argument. The word sanctity is smothered with religious connotations and in effect a violation of church and state and an act of discrimination. The word sanctity in any ban or law renders that law unconstitutional. This violation of separation of church and state, and this discrimination gives credence to the belief that anti-homosexual critics believe that homosexuals are not equal and not citizens just because they are homosexual. Banning marriage on the sanctity basis is a violation of the separation of church and state theory.
In the meantime, the status quo harbors ill will for the future. Unless one side concedes, this argument will continue and fester to greater proportions. More actions of violence and atrocities like those that have plagued America’s history will stem from this prolonged discourse. Thus, the status quo must change. The definition of marriage should be changed from its ecclesiastic definition to one that defines the civil aspect of marriage. The government is required to give the same rights to all married couples. These are to include social security, immigration, adoption, and other basic rights. Separation of church and state should be upheld and revered in modern culture. In addition, the misconceptions must be displayed as fallacies. Equality is the main obligation that the United States of America has to its citizens. There is no just reason for discriminating against homosexuals. Equality must prevail if we are a nation that gives the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In summation, America must change its viewpoints on marriage to uphold the integrity of separation of church and state, and to grant equality to homosexual citizens.
Audi, Robert. "The Separation of Church and State and the Obligations of Citizenship." Philosophy and Public Affairs 18 (1989). JSTOR. 24 Oct. 2007.
Beth, Loren. "Toward a Modern American Theory of Church-State Relationships." Political Science Quarterly 70 (1995). JSTOR. 24 Oct. 2007.
Cahill, Sean. Same-Sex Marriage in the United States: Focus on the Facts. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2004.
Nava, Micheal, and Robert Dawidoff. Created Equal: Why Gay Rights Matter to America. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1994.
Snyder, Allen. "Banning Same-Sex Marriage Violates Church-State Separation." Dissident Voice 15 Mar. 2004. 29 Oct. 2007
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